Motion conversion mechanism



July 5, 1966 w. ALSEPT MOTION CONVERSION MECHANISM Filed March 18, 196556 INVENTOR. 54 llIIllllllIIIIIIIIHIIMI W/SE 4L SEPT JIE 2 United StatesPatent 3,258,979 MOTION CGNVERSIGN MECHANISIVI Wise Alsept, 2733Gladstone St., Dayton, Ohio Filed Mar. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 440,862 14Claims. (Cl. 74-63) This invention relates to a motion conversionmechanism and more particularly to a mechanism for convertingreciprocating motions to continuous rotary motion. However, theinvention is not necessarily so limited.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improveddevice for converting between continuous rotary motion and reciprocatingmotions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved motionconversion mechanism, adapted to utilize a force field, such as theearths gravitational field, in its operation and also adapted to operatein artificially produced force fields, such as magnetic fields, whichmay or may not be employed to supplement the earths gravitational field.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmotion conversion mechanism having the capacity for accumulating andstoring substantial amounts of kinetic energy.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspectiveview with a portion broken awayillustrating one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the foregoing embodiment with aportion broken away, said view being drawn to a reduced scale.

The motion conversion device illustrated in the drawing comprises acircular plate which is supported for pivotal movements upon a suitableframe 12. The frame 12 includes spaced upright pedestals 14 whichconfront one another. The pedestals 14 have horizontally projectingflanges 16 at the upper ends thereof which are apertu red to receivestub shafts 18 and 20 projecting oppositely and horizontally fromdiametrically opposite sites in the periphery of the plate 10. The stubshafts 18 and 20 have freedom for rotational movement in the flanges 16.Accordingly the plate 10 has freedom for pivotal movement on the frame12 about a horizontal axis defined by the stub shafts 18 and 20, saidaxis passing diametrically through the plate 18. Upon a fullunderstanding of the present invention as revealed in the followingdescription, it will be apparent that the foregoing supporting framemerely represents one of numerous supporting devices that can beemployed. A simplified alternative support, not shown, can compriserocker arms supporting the plate 10 in the manner of a rocking chair.

Pivotal movements of the plate 10 are controlled by an elongated driveor control rod 22 which is attached to the periphery of the plate 10 andwhich is substantially coplanar with the plate 10. As shown, the rod 22is preferably coaxial with the perpendicular bisector. of the axisdefined by the stub shafts 18 and 20. In the preferred embodiment, theweight of the rod 22 is counterbalanced by a diametrically oppositeweight 23. The control rod 22 can also be tapered to reduce the amountof counterbalance needed.

To facilitate a reciprocal power input, the driving rod is slotted asshown at 25. As one example, the slot 25 can receive a crank member 27mounted for rotation in a supporting pedestal 31 for input of areciprocal motion. Where the power input is reciprocal to begin with, aswith straight pull solenoid devices, the sliding connection in the slot25 is desirable to relieve the rod 22 of axial loading.

3,258,979 Patented July 5, 1966 The plate 10 has a central aperture 24which communicates between the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 10.Passing through the aperture '24 and inclined to the upper and lowersurfaces of the plate 10 is a shaft 26. Fastened to the lower end of theshaft 26 is a roller element 28, or more specifically a spherical ball,which has a diametric bore 29 therein receiving the shaft 26. A dowel30, passing diametrically through the ball 28 and the shaft 26 at aright angle to the bore 29, secures the ball 28 against sliding movementon the shaft 26.

A second roller element or ball 32 is mounted slidably on the shaft 26above the plate 10 and in rolling contact with said upper surface. Forthis assembly, the ball 32 is provided with a diametric bore 33 whichreceives the shaft 26 with a slip fit. Axial movement of the ball 32 onthe shaft 26 in the direction away from the ball 28 is restrained by aspring 34 spiraled about the shaft 26 and restricted against axialmovement away from the ball 28 by means of a dowel 36. Washers 38 and 40encircling the shaft 26 at the opposite ends of the spring 34 reducefriction between the ball 32 and the spring 34.

A weight 42, which for convenience is illustrated as a third ball,counterbalances the weight of the ball 28. Any suitable means, such asthe dowel 44, is used to secure the weight 42 at a desired axialposition on the shaft 26. In the preferred construction the weight ofthe ball 42 multipled by its moment arm (center-to-ccnter distancebetwen the balls 32 and 42) only slightly exceeds the weight of the ball28 multiplied by its moment arm (center-to-center distance between balls32 and 28). Thus, the shaft 26 is analogous to a balancing beam having afulcrum at the point of contact between the ball 32 and the plate 10,the weight 42 so counterbalancing the weight of the ball 28 that theball 28 is biased into contact with the undersurface of the plate 10.

While it has been described that the weight 42 is preferably heavyenough to just overbalance the weight of the ball 28 about the fulcrumestablished by the ball 32, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that this is not an essential requirement. A substantial balance ofthe weight 42 and the ball 28 about the ball 32 is preferred primarilyfor the reason that such balance minimizes any bias on the plate 10tending to load the control rod 22.

Positioned within the aperture 24 and encircling the shaft 26 is aneyelet 46 having a depending shaft 48 which passes downwardly throughthe supporting frame 12. Surrounding the shaft 48 is a collar 50, whichbears against a bearing 52 surrounding the shaft 48 and resting upon thesupporting frame 12. The bearing 52 thus transfers the weight of theeyelet 46 and associated components to the frame 12.

Attached to the shaft 48 underneath the frame 12 is a gear 54 having ahub 56 encircling the shaft 48. A dowel 58 passing through the hub 56and shaft 48 serves to transmit rotary motions of the shaft 48 to thegear 54. Legs 60 support the frame 12 above any suitable foundation at asufficient height that the gear 54 may rotate freely.

The eyelet 46 having a driving connection with the gear 54 has beenillustrated as a convenient means for extracting power from, ordelivering power to, the motion conversion means. It will be recognizedin the following description, however, that the eyelet 46 is notessential for certain operations of the apparatus although beneficial incont-rolling certain motions that may be induced in the shaft 26. Theeyelet is designed, however, for an optimum transfer of energy to theshaft 26 and optimum control over the movements of the shaft 26.

The operation of the device for the conversion of re ciprocating motionsto continuous rotary motion is as follows. Assuming the plate 10 ispositioned with its upper and lower surfaces in horizontal planes,neither of 3 the balls 28 and 32 has a tendency to roll on the plate 10.However, if the control rod is actuated so as to pivot the plate out ofits horizontal position, and in such a direction as to lift the ball 32against the force of gravity, the balls 28 and 32 will be induced toroll upon the lower and upper surfaces, respectively, of the plate 10.Thus, the ball 32 will tend to roll downwardly on the plate 10 and,because the balls 28 and 32 are interconnected through the shaft 26, theball 28 will tend to roll upwardly on the underside of the plate 10.When the balls 28 and 32 are of equal diameter, this being a preferredconstruction of the present invention, the balls 28 and 32 willautomatically roll in circular upper and lower orbits, each orbit havingan axis at the mid point along the shaft 26 between the balls 28 and 32.

The reason the balls 28 and 32 tend to follow circular upper and lowerorbits about a common central axis resides in the fact that these ballsfrictionally engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 10 insubstantial point contact and, as they roll on said surfaces, are alsoforced to spin about the axis of the shaft 26 by virtue of theirconnections therewith. This results in an orbital rolling movement ofboth balls about the approximate midpoint of the shaft portion extendingtherebetween. It is obvious, of course, that a similar rolling effect isachieved with simple rolling devices, such as Wheels. For reasons, whichwill become more apparent in the following description, it is preferredthat the roller elements be spheres or the like so as to include arelatively large body portion responsive to the force field.

If, as the ball 32, rolling downwardly, approaches the lowest point inits orbit, the control rod 22 is actuated oppositely to raise the ball32, again against the force of gravity, the ball 32 will receivesufiicient energy to continue its orbital rolling motion in the samedirection. By properly timing upward and downward movements of thecontrol rod 22, as by manual manipulation of the rod 22, or any suitabledrive means, both balls 28 and 32 are caused to orbit about the centerof the plate 10, the only requirement being that the reciprocation ofthe control rod 22 is timed so as to always add energy to the system byelevating the ball 32. As the orbiting speed builds up the transfer ofenergy to the system becomes very efiicient with the result that only asmall shaft vibration is needed to sustain operation.

Substantial amounts of kinetic energy can be accumulated in the balls 28and 32 and in the weight 42. A portion of this kinetic energy resides inthe spin momentum of the balls 28 and 32. Another portion resides in thespin momentum of the weight 42, which is forced to spin about its ownaxis because of the fixed connections between the weight 42, ball 28 andshaft 26. A further portion of the kinetic energy of the rotating systemresides in the orbital momenta of the weight 42, ball 32 and ball 28.

Recalling that the weight 42 and the ball 28 are approximately balanced,in the preferred construction, about the fulcrum determined by the pointof contact between the ball 32 and the plate 10, it will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art that substantial kinetic velocities can begenerated in the foregoing elements with only minor forces applied tothe control rod 22. Thus, the force required to pivot the control rod 22is only that required to lift the combined Weight of the foregoingelements and the shaft 26 against the gravitational force. By employinga comparatively long control rod 22, the force required to lift thisload against the force of gravity is obviously slight.

Operation of the subject motion conversion mechanism in reverse, as bysupplying a rotary input through the gear 54, is as follows. When a lowspeed rotary motion is transmitted to the gear 54, the eyelet 46 iscaused to rotate and drive the shaft 26 through a circular rotationconcentric with the shaft 48. The Weight of the several balls on theshaft 26, applied to the plate 10 at the point of contact between theball 32 and the plate 10, causes the plate 10 to tilt first in onedirection and then in the opposite direction as the shaft 26 progressesthrough its circular motion. The reversing tilting motions of the plate10 produce a reciprocating motion at the free end of the control rod 22.

At high rotary speeds, the centrifugal and gyroscopic forces acting onthe balls 28 and 32, and on the weight 42 cause these elements to seek aplanar orbit of rotation which is parallel to the plate 10. Thus theshaft 26 tends to circumscribe imaginary conical surfaces above andbelow the plate 10. As a result, the aforementioned reversing tiltingmotions of the plate 10 diminish and the plate becomes stabilized so asto resist pivoting movements of the control rod 22.

From the foregoing remarks it can be seen that the operation of thesubject device is not reversible at high speeds. Thus, at high speeds,energy can be added to the rotating system by reciprocation of thecontrol rod 22, but the energy of the rotating system is incapable ofacting in reverse to reciprocate the control rod.

It will also be noted that, at high speeds, a force field is not neededto transfer energy to the rotating system by reciprocation of thecontrol rod 22. Thus, the centrifugal and gyroscopic forces associatedwith the balls 28 and 32 and with the weight 42 establish a forcecondition within the rotating system to which energy may be added orfrom which energy may be extracted without the aid of an external forcefield.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that neither of the balls 28and 32 has to be fastened to the shaft 26 for satisfactory operation ofthe subject motion conversion mechanism. To some it may appear on firstthought that the ball 28 must be secured to the shaft 26 to preventcentrifugal forces from pulling the ball 28 off the shaft 26. However,the friction of engagement between the ball 28 and the plate 10 preventsthis. Thus, as the several balls and shaft 26 rotate, a very substantialcentrifugal force develops in the weight 42 and in the ball 28. Thecentrifugal force on the weight 42 is determined by the product of itsmass and the square of its linear velocity divided by its distance fromthe orbital center. Similarly, the centrifugal force associated with theball 28 is represented by the product of its mass and the square of itslinear velocity divided by its distance from its orbital center.Although the mass of the ball 28, as shown, exceeds the mass of theweight 42, the centrifugal force associated with the Weight 42 can begreater than that associated with the ball 28 due to the squared linearvelocity term in the centrifugal force formula. This being the case, itis possible to employ a separable mass in the weight 42 so arranged thata portion or all of the weight 42 can be removed after a sufficientorbital speed is reached.

The large centrifugal forces associated with the weight 42 and ball 28cause the shaft 26 to seek a horizontal plane, except in certaincircumstances to be later described. This tendency of the shaft 26 toseek a horizontal plane, results in an enhanced contact pressure betweenthe ball 28 and the plate 10, and this enhanced contact pressureincreases the frictional force between the ball 28 and the plate 18sufiiciently that, in practice, the ball 28 is not permited to slide offthe shaft 26 as one might first expect.

From the foregoing reasoning it will be recognized that the dowel 30,which fixes the ball 28 on the shaft 26, is not essential for retainingthe ball 28 in its proper orbit. It is desirable, however, to secure theshaft 26 so that the shaft will not slide out of the balls 28 and 32 dueto the centrifugal force on the weight 42. Even for this purpose,friction between the shaft 26 and the interior wall of the bores throughthe balls 28 and 32 will ordinarily hold the shaft 26 in place with theresult that the dowel 38 is not always essential.

While the foregoing remarks show that the dowel 30 is not essential toproper operation of the subject motion conversion means it will berecognized that the dowel 30 is desirable as a safety precaution. Thus,while friction forces ordinarily will hold the assembly of shaft andballs together, these friction forces are also easily released if thesynchronization betwen the pivotal movements of the rod 22 and rotarymovements of the shaft and balls is disturbed in such fashion that theplate is moved away from contact with the balls 28 and 32.

The spring 34 is also not an essential element of the assembly. Thus theball 32 can be pinned directly to the shaft 26 or in the alternative canbe entirely free to slide on the shaft 26. In the latter eventfrictional forces between the ball 32 and the plate 10 will preventsliding movement of this ball on the shaft 26. In the practice of thepresent invention, however, it is desirable to have the balls 28 and 32orbit about an axis approximately coincident with the axis of the shaft48. The provision of a sliding fit between the ball 32 and the shaft 26,resisted only by the spring 34, enables the ball 32 to slide shortdistances on the shaft 26 and thereby seek an orbit concentric with theshaft 48.

In the drawing, the balls 28 and 32 are shown as having bores passingdiametrically therethrough to receive the shaft 26. It will berecognized, however, that these bores need not be diametric bores but,instead, can be eccentric. Thus, if both balls 28 and 32 areeccentrically bored to the same extent and off-set 180, the device willnevertheless operate substantially in the manner described. It will alsooccur to those skilled in the art that neither perfect parallelism. norplanarity in the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 10 is essentialfor operation of the apparatus shown in the manner described.

The preceding discussion of the operation of the present apparatus isapplicable, in general, to operation of the apparatus with the shaft 26occupying positions which are at a substantial angle to the axis of theforce field acting on the apparatus. Specifically, the foregoingdiscussion described the operation encountered when the axis of theshaft 26 is more than 45 removed from the axis of the force field.

It was previously indicated that the kinetic energy associated with theshaft 26 and elements assembled thereon, during operation, residespartly in an orbital movement about the center of the plate 10 andpartly in a spin rotation about the axis of the shaft 26. It is myexperience that, when the shaft 26 is more than 45 removed from the axisof the force field, the centrifugal forces appear to predominate overthe gyroscopic effect of the spin momentum. However, I have found thatwhen the plate 10 is inclined sufficiently during operation of thesubject apparatus to bring the axis of the shaft 26 to within 45 of theforce field, the gyroscopic effect associated with the spin momentumappears to predominate with the result that the shaft 26 and elementsassembled thereon seek an axis parallel to the axis of the force fieldin the manner of a spinning top.

In the apparatus disclosed, this spinning motion as a top is preventedby the eyelet 46, however, it is possible to reach an operating statewherein the shaft 26 at least for a limited time precesses about theaxis of the force field without engaging either surface of the plate 10.

In the foregoing there has been described a motion conversion mechanismof unique construction and appearance. This mechanism has furthermorebeen described as operating in an environment wherein useful work hasbeen done in converting between reciprocating and rotary motions. Itwill be recognized, however, that the present mechanism, due to itsuniqueness of construction and flexibility of operation, has animportant secondary value as an educational toy, such as for use in theinstruction of students concerning centrifugal forces, gyroscopic forcesand gravitation-a1 forces.

Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the present mechanismdoes not require a gravitational field for its operation. Thus, the ball28 and the weight 42 can comprise ferromagnetic bodies which respond toa magnetic field directed perpendicular to the axis defined by the stubshafts 18 and 20, said field attracting the ferromagnetic elementsdownwardly, as viewed in FIG- URE 1. Using such magnetic field, thesubject device may be operated away from any significant gravitationalfield.

The present structure can also be useful in converting the energy of avarying magnetic field to useful work. As one example, the control rod22 can be biased to a horizorrtal position by springs not shown. If'avertical magnetic field/f9 which the ball 28 and weight 42 respond iscaused to iiise and fall in intensity, the-ball 32, which may or may notbe ferromagnetic, will first be drawn downwardly by the field, thenpermitted to rise due to the action of the aforesaid biasing springs. Asthe ball 32 is drawn downwardly, a rotary motion is commenced which, byproper synchronization with the rising and falling magnetic field,can beperpetuated so as to extract energy from the magnetic field.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and more of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Motion conversion apparatus for operation in a force fieldcomprising, in combination, plate means having upper and lower surfacesand having a central aperture therethrough, means supporting said platemeans for pivotal motion about an axis substantially parallel to saidplate means and transverse to said force field, elongated shaft meansextending through said aperture and having a longitudinal ,axis inclinedto said surfaces, first roller means disposed on said shaft means at anintermediate position and having rolling contact with said upper surfaceof said plate means, second roller means disposed on said shaft means toone side of said intermediate position and adapted to have rollingcontact with said lower surface of said plate means, said second rollermeans including a body portion responsive to said force field andattracted by said force field away from said lower surface,counterbalance means responsive to said force field and engaging saidshaft means to the other side of said intermediate position, theattraction of said force field for said counterbalance means at leastpartially counterbalancing the attraction of said force field for saidbody portion of said second roller means, the construction andarrangement being such that pivotal movements of said plate means awayfrom a plane transverse to said force field induce orbital rollingmovement of said roller means about an axis perpendicular to said planarsurfaces and passing through said central aperture, the centrifugalforces associated with said counterbalance means and said second rollermeans off-setting any failure of said counterbalance means to hold saidsecond roller means in contact with said lower surface.

2. Motion conversion apparatus according to claim 1 including rotatablemeans positioned with-in the central aperture of said plate means andengaged with said shaft means for unison rotation therewith.

3. Motion conversion apparatus for operation in a force fieldcomprising, in combination, plate means having parallel upper and lowersurfaces and having a central aperture therethrough, means supportingsaid plate means for pivotal motion about an axis parallel to saidplanar surfaces and transverse to said force field, elongated shaftmeans exrtending through said aperture and having longitudinal axisinclined to said planar surfaces, first roller means disposed on saidshaft means at an intermediate position and having rolling contact withsaid upper surface of said plate means, second roller means disposed onsaid shaft means to one side of said intermediate position and adaptedto have rolling contact with said lower surface of said plate means,said second roller means including a body portion responsive to saidforce field and attracted by said force field away from said lowersurface, counterbalance means responsive to said force field andengaging said shaft means to the other side of said intermediateposition, the attraction of said force field for said counterbalancemeans overb alancing the attraction of said force field for said bodyportion of said second roller means whereby said force field holds saidsecond roller means in contact with said lower surface of said platemeans by causing pivotal movement of said shaft means about a fulrumestablished by contact between said first roller means and said uppersurface, the construction and arrangement being such that pivotalmovements of said plate means away from a plane transverse to said forcefield induce orbital rolling movements of said roller means about anaxis perpendicular :to said planar surfaces and passing through saidcentral aperture.

4. Motion conversion apparatus for operation in a force fieldcomprising, in combination, plate means having parallel upper and lowersurfaces and having a central aperture therethrough, means supportingsaid plate means for pivotal motion about an axis parallel to saidplanar surfaces and transverse to said force field, elongated shaftmeans extending through said aperture and having a longitudinal axisinclined to said planar surfaces, first roller means journalled on saidshaft means for rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof said shaft and at an intermediate position along the length of saidshaft, said first roller means having roll-ing contact with said uppersurface of said plate means, second roller means journalled on saidshaft means for rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof said shaft means and to one side of said intermediate position, saidsecond roller means being adapted to have rolling contact with saidlower surface of said plate means, said second roller means including abody portion responsive to said force field and attracted by said forcefield away from said lower surface, counterbalance means responsive tosaid force field and engaging said shaft means to the other side of saidintermediate position, the attraction of said force field for saidcounterbalance means over balancing the attraction of said force fieldfor said body portion of said second roller means whereby said forcefield holds said second roller means in contact with said lower surfaceof said plate means by causing pivotal movement of said shaft meansabout a fulcrum established by contact between said first roller meansand said upper surface, the construction and arrangement being such thatpivotal movements of said plate means away from a plane transverse tosaid force field induce orbital rolling movement of said roller meansabout an axis perpendicular to said planar surfaces and passing throughsaid central aperture.

5. The motion conversion means according to claim 4 wherein said firstand second 'roiler means each comprise a spherical body having a boretherethrough receiving said shaft means.

'6. The motion conversion mechanism according to claim 5 wherein saidbores through said spherical bodies receiving said shaft means arediametric bores.

7. Motion conversion apparatus for operation in a force fieldcomprising, in combination, plate means having parallel upper and lowersurfaces and having a central aperture therethrough, means supportingsaid plate means for pivotal motion about an axis parallel to saidplanar surfaces and transverse to said force field, elongated shaftmeans extending through said aperture and having a longitudinal axisinclined to said planar surfaces, first roller means disposed on saidshaft means at an intermediate position and having rolling contact withsaid upper surface of said plate means, second roller means fixed tosaid shaft means to one side of said intermediate position and adaptedto have rolling contact with said lower surface of said plate means,said second roller means including a body portion responsive to saidforce field and attracted by said force field away from said lowersurface, counterbalance means responsive to said force field andengaging said shaft means to the other side of said intermediateposition, the attraction of said force field for said counterbalancemeans overbalancing the attraction of said force field for said bodyportion of said second roller means whereby said force field holds saidsecond roller means in contact with said lower surface of said platemeans by causing pivotal movement of said shaft means about a fulcrumestablished by cont-act between said first roller means and said uppersurface, the construction and arrangement being such that pivotalmovements of said plate means away from a plane transverse to said forcefield induce orbital rolling movement of said roller means about an axisperpendicular to said planar surfaces and passing through said centralaperture.

8. The motion conversion apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shaft meansis slidable axially through said first roller means.

9. The motion conversion apparatus of claim 8 including yielding meanson said shaft means adapted to engage said first ro-ller means to limitthe separation between said first and second roller means.

10. The motion conversion means of claim 7 where-in said counterbalancemeans is fixed against rotary movement relative to said shaft means.

11. Motion conversion apparatus for operation in a force fieldcomprising, in combination, plate means having parallel upper and lowersurfaces and having a central aperture therethrough, means supportingsaid plate means for pivotal motion about an axis parallel to saidplanar surfaces and transverse to said force field, elongated shaftmeans extending through said aperture and having a longitudinal axisincline-d to said planar surfaces, first roller means disposed on saidshaft means in an intermediate position and having rolling contact withsaid upper surface of said place means, second rotller means disposed onsaid shaft means to one side of said intermediate position and adaptedto have rolling contact with said lower surface of said plate means,said second roller means including a body portion responsive to saidforce field and attracted by said force field away from said lowersurface, counterbalance means responsive to said force field andengaging said shaft means to the other side of said intermediateposition, the attraction of said force field for said counterbalancemeans overbalancing the attraction of said force field for said bodyportion of said second roller means whereby said force field holds saidsecond roller means in contact with said lower surface of said platemeans by causing pivotal movement of said shaft means about a fulcrumestablished by contact between said first roller means and said uppersurface, the construction and arrangement being such that pivotalmovements of said plate means away from a plane transverse to said forcefield induce orbital rolling movement of said roller means about an axisperpendicular to said planar surfaces and passing through said centralaperture, and rotatable means to rotate with said shaft means comprisinga shaft supported for rotation by said support means about an axispassing through said aperture and means coupling said shaft with saidshaft means.

12, The motion conversion apparatus of claim 11 including a drive meansengaged with said plate means and adapted to pivot said plate meansabout said pivotal axls.

13. Motion conversion apparatus comprising, in combination, plate meanshaving oppositely facing surfaces and having a central aperture passingthrough said oppositely facing surfaces, means supporting said platemeans for pivotal motion about a pivotal axis substantially parallel tosaid plate means, elongated shaft means extending through said apertureand having a longitudinal axis inclined to said pivotal axis, firstroller means disposed on said shaft means and having rolling contactwith one of said oppositely facing surfaces, second roller meansdisposed on said :shafit means in spaced relation to said first rollermeans and having rolling contact with the other of said oppositelyfacing surfaces, and means to rotate said shaft means about a rotaryaxis substantially perpendicular to said pivotal axis and passingthrough said central aperture, the construction and arrangement beingsuch that rotation of said shaft about 10 said rotary axis causesorbital rotation of said roller means on said oppositely facingsurf-aces about said rotary axis.

14. Motion conversion apparatus according to claim 1 13 includingrotatable means positioned within the central aperture of said platemeans and engaged with said shaft means for unison rotation therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1920 Nntt 74-636/1930 Bennett 74-63 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,918 11/1905 Germany.

FR-ED C. MATTERN, JR Primary Examiner.

5 D. H. THIEL, Assistant Examiner.

13. MOTION CONVERSION APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, PLATE MEANSHAVING OPPOSITELY FACING SURFACES AND HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE PASSINGTHROUGH SAID OPPOSITELY FACING SURFACES, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PLATEMEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOTION ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TOSAID PLATE MEANS, ELONGATED SHAFT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTUREAND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS INCLINED TO SAID PIVOTAL AXIS, FIRSTROLLER MEANS DISPOSED ON SAID SHAFT MEANS AND HAVING ROLLING CONTACTWITH ONE OF SAID OPPOSITELY FACING SURFACES, SECOND ROLLER MEANSDISPOSED ON SAID SHAFT MEANS IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST ROLLERMEANS AND HAVING ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID OPPOSITELYFACING SURFACES, AND MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT MEANS ABOUT A ROTARYAXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PIVOTAL AXIS AND PASSINGTHROUGH SAID CENTRAL APERTURE, THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT BEINGSUCH THAT ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT ABOUT SAID ROTARY AXIS CAUSES ORBITALROTATION OF SAID ROLLER